Method of making and applying gaskets to jar caps



Feb. 28,1933. PARKS 1,899,524

METHOD OF MAKING AND APPLYING GASKETS TO JAR CAPS Eiled'Dec. 4, 1930 sSheets-Sheet 1' A. 9 E5 7 iigl- 4T 9 T Feb. 28, 1933. PARKS- 1,899,524

METHOD OF MAKING AND APPLYING GASKETS 1'0 JAR CAPS Filed Dec. 4, 1950 3Sheets-Sheet 2 a0. i .5. 5% -o 3) '5 L9 71 a? .1%UenZET- WoTri/tb (ifT705. 3 p J [W Feb 28, @933 M, G, PARKS 11,899524 METHOD OF MAKING ANDAPPLYING GASKETS TO JAR CAPS Filed Dec. 4, 1950 5 Sheets-$heet 3 MUliiiwawm @Rwm, umwmfl Patented F eb. 28, 1933 MERRIT'I' G. PARKS, OF'GARY,INDIANA.

METHOD or MAKING AND APPLYING c-Asxn'rs .170 JAR CAPS Application filedDecember 4., 1930. semi-No; teases.

The invention relates generally to the manufacture of ar caps havlngplastic gaskets attached t .ereto, and more pa-rtlcularly it relates toa method of forming and applying such gaskets to the caps.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedmethod of making plastic gaskets, of such a character as to insureuniformity of size and shape even when produced in large quantities andat high production speeds.

Another object is to provide a new and improved method whereby gasketsof raw rubher or other, plastic material may be formed and applied tojar caps quickly and uniformly at a cost substantially lower than hasheretofore been possible.

Another object is to provide such a method wherein the gasket is formedfrom an elongated strip or strand of material and applied in circularform to the cap so as to unite the ends of the strand and compress thematerial to the desired shape in adhering relation to the cap.

For the purpose of illustrating the practics of the present invention, Ihave illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will herein describein detail a preferred form of apparatus adapted to utilize the newmethod, but it is to be understood that this apparatus is not to betaken as a limitation of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an apparatus adapted toutilize the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view showing the left hand end of theapparatus illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View taken through the gasketforming and applying means substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 6.

' Fig. f is a fragmental view similar to Fig. 3 showing the parts in thepositions occupied upon the completion of the gasket applying operation.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan View taken in section along the line 5-5 ofFig. 6.

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view taken through the machine alongtheline 66 of Fig. 3with certain parts of the machine removed.

Fig. 7 s is a vertical sectional view. taken along the;line 7-7 of-Fig.1, looking in the -'3 direction of the arrows.

Q Fig. '8 is av vertical sectional view taken through the machine alongthe line 88 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 9is. a vertical sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 1,looking in the directionv of thearrows. a

Fig. 10 is a-perspective view of the knife employed to sever the strandof gasket mateposition wherein it forms; a part of acam plate. V Figs..11 and 12 are similar sectional views taken along the line '11l1 ofFig. 6 and showing the feeding clamp in itsop'en and closed positionsrespectively. 1 r V In accordance. with the preferred practice of themethod, an elongated strand is formed from a heated mass of raw rubberor the like and is fed directly to a continuously operat- T ing machinewhich forms a succession of annularvgaskets directly from the strand,and applies such gaskets to-the jar caps. The

formation of the gaskets from the strand is accomplished by arrangingthe end of the strand in a circle of a size suitable for a gasket,holding the'remai-nder of the strand adjacent to the circularly formedportion and then severing thisportion from the remainder of the strand.The circularly formed portion of the'strand is then com pressed againsta jar cap and during such compression it is confined so as to lim1t itsexpansion in a radial direction whereby to 9 The apparatus generally Theapparatus shown'herein comprises a marine knife being shown .in itsassembled Q5 strand forming machine 6 (Fig. 2), preferably in the formof an extruding device of well known construction, through the die 7 thedevice may be .pressed onto the caps 14 by coordinated approachingmovements of the plunger and the device while the holder remainsstationary.

The gasket forming and applying mechanism In the machine shown herein, astrand 8 of gasket material, preferably of round cross section, is takendirectly from the strand forming machine 6, and by a feeding mechanism16 its end is placed in a circle forming means which forms the endportion of the strand 8 into an annulus suitable for use as a gasket.The annulus is then severed from the remainder of the strand and ispressed into position in a jar cap 14 in a manner such as to shape thegasket and unite the two ends of the severed strand.

The feeding means and the circle forming means are in the present case,both rotatable in character and are arranged to act in succession todraw the end portion of the strand over the desired'path to form theannulus. Considered generally, the feeding means preferably comprises adisk 17 (Figs. 1, 6, 9, 11, and 12) fixed on a shaft 18 mounted instandards 19 and 20 of the frame 21 and carrying a releasable feedclamp22 (Figs.

6, 11, and 12) for grasping and moving the end of the strand 8. Asindicated by the arrow in Fig. 6, the feed clamp 22 on the disk 17 movesthe end of the strand 8 along the adjacent periphery of an oppositelyrotating coaxial mandrel 23,-which in the present case constitutesa partof the circle forming means- This feeding of the strand by the disk 17continues until the strand is within the range of a clamp 24 (Fig. 6)carried by the. winding mandrel. After automaticoperation of the clamp24 so as to grasp the strand 8, the feed clamp 22 is released so thatcontinued rotation of the mandrel 23 may draw the strand into circularform about the mandrel. 1

In order that the end of thestrand 8 may be held close to the mandrel 23and within the range of its clamp 24 as it is fed by the disk 17, thefeed clamp 22 is carried on a slide 25 which is movable radially of thedisk 17 as shown in Fig. 6 on rods 26, and is pressed radially outwardlyof the disk 17 by springs 27 surrounding the rods 26. The clamp 22 isbest shown in Figs. 11 and 12 and is in the form of a lever extendingradially with respect to the disk 17 and pivoted at 28 upon the slide 25so that its outer end is in opposed relation to a stationary finger 30carried by the slide and forming the other member of the clamp. Theclamp 22 is normally pressed to its open position, shown in Fig. 11, bya spring 31 acting on one end thereof, and is closed by movement of theopposite end of the clamp along a cam surface 32 formed on a stationaryplate 33 (Figs. 1, 2, and 10) which, in the present case, is in the formof a disk mounted on the frame of the machine at one side of the feeddisk 17 Rotational movement imparted to the disk 17 moves the feed clamp22 toward the end of the strand 8 (Fig. 6) and the cutaway portion 34 ofthe cam surface 32 (Fig. 10) along which the clamp moves, permitstheclamp to be opened by the spring 31. A detailed view of the cam plate 33is shown in Fig. 10, which is taken from the far side of the plate asshown in Fig. 2. This view shows the formation of the various camsurfaces. By the action of th springs 27, the clamp 22 is held in itsoutward radial position until the two opposed members 30 and 22 arepositioned on opposite sides of the strand 8. To insure properpositioning of the strand, guide rollers 35 are positioned in opposedrelation to the feed disk 17 andthe clamp 22 is arranged to grasp thestrand between the two guide rollers 35. The action of the cam surface32 along which the clamp 22 moves causes the clamp to be closed until ithas passed to a second cutaway portion 36 10) of the cam surface 32-which permits the clamp to open. V

The mandrel 23 is mounted within a sleeve 37 for rotation therewith, thesleeve being rotatably mounted in a bearing head 38 of the frame 21. Oneend of the mandrel 23 (the left in Fig. normally projects from the endof the sleeve 37 to provide a surface about which the strand 8 may bewound, and the clamp 24 is arranged to operate by pressing the strandagainst the end of the sleeve 37.

The clamp 24 is preferably mounted principally within the mandrel 23,which is of sleeve-like form to provide space for the clamp and itsoperating parts, and as shown herein the clamp comprises a movablemember in the form of a lever 40 extending diametrically of the mandrel(Figs. 3, 4, and 6). One end of the lever 40 has a pair of spacedclamping fingers 41 formed thereon adapted to project through themandrel 23 and upon pivotal movement of the lever 40, to press thestrand 8 longitudinally of the mandrel into contact with the end of thesleeve 37.

The clamping lever 40 is pivoted at 40 intermediate its ends on. one endof a lever 42, which for purposes which will hereinafter appear. extendslongitudinally through and is pivoted to a transverse wall 43 in themandrel. Thus by pivotal movement of the lever 40 about its pivot 40 theclamp is operated, and in the present case the clamping fingers 41project through a plate 44 which is longitudinally slidable in themandrel and which insures an unbroken surface in the mandrel at thepoint where thestrand is wound. The clamping lever 40 is normally heldin its open position by a spring 46 (Fig. 3) extending through the wall43 and connected to the lever 40 and to a cross head 47 which is fixedto the outer sleeve 37 in a manner which willlater appear. e

To pivot the clamping lever 40 to its operative position at the desiredpoint in the rotating movement of the mandrel 23, a rod 49 is employedwhich is-slidable longitudinally through the wall 43 and into contactwith theinner end of the lever 40. A spring 50 acting on the rod 49normally presses the rod toward the lever 40 but itsmovement isrestrained by a trigger 51 (Figs. 1 and 3) engaging an abutment 52onthe'rod and arranged to be released at a predetermined point in therotative movement of the mandrel. A shaft 53 connected to the cross head47 and serving to rotate the mandrel, also serves to support the trigger51 through the medium of a collar 54 fixed on the shaft. The trigger 51,which is pivoted on the collar 54 extends longitudinally of the shaft 52and is operated by a plunger 55 which projects diametrically through theshaft 53 One end of the plunger 55 is connected to the trigger 51 so asto transmit movement thereto in two directions as shown at 58 (Fig. 3),and the trigger is moved toward its operative position by a spring 57surrounding the-other end of the plunger and acting between the plungerand the shaft In the opposite rotation feed disk 17 and the mandrel 23,the trigger 51 is released at the proper time by contact of a roller 58on the end of the plunger with a cam 60 (Figs. 1 and 8) mounted on theshaft 18.

As the mandrel rotates, it draws theend of the strand'8 into thelongitudinally opening annular channel formed between the mandrel 23,the end of the sleeve 37 and an annular sleeve 6O which forms a part ofthe bearing 38, and by the action of the'sides of this channel, theannular portion of the strand is maintained in the desired form.

Means is provided for automatically re turning the rod 49 to theposition shown in Fig. 3 after the rotative movement of the mandrel hasbeen completed so as to permit the clamp 24 to be opened by its spring46.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3. this means comprises a plate 61 fixed on therod 49 so as to be engaged by the end of a movable lever 62 to withdrawthe rod to a position wherein the abutment 52 is behind the shoulder ofthe trigger 51. The lever 62 is mounted on a bracket 63 (Fig. 1) and isactuated arranged to permit longitudinal movement a of the sleeve. Suchmovement is obtained through a roller 69 (Fig. 8) m0unted on the lever65and engaging a grooved collar70 fixed "on the mandrel shaft 53. In suchmovement of the sleeve 37, the mandrel, 23

moves therewith until the end of the man drel23 strikes the cap 14 whichis backed up by the plunger-11 and thereafter the sleeve continues itsmovement independently of the v mandrel. Such relative movement is permitted by a yielding lost motion connection, best shown 111 Fig. 5 ofthe drawlngs, wherein it willbe seen that'cross head 47 extends throughlongitudinal slots 71 formed in the mandrel 23. The mandrel 23is'normally projected longitudinally from the end of the sleeve 37 bysprings 72 acting between the cross head 47 and the transverse wall 43of the mandrel, the springs 72 being mounted about rods 73 which extendthrough the cross head 47 and the wall 43 and have headsthereon whichlimit the movement of the parts by the springs 72.

7 During the initial part of the advancing movement of the sleeve '37,the annulus formed from the strand 8 is severed from the remainder ofthe strand by a knife 7 5 (Figs.

3, 4, and 10) positioned closely adjacent to theupper surface of thesleeve 37 (Figs. 3 and 4) and acting asa shearing edge past which I theannulus is forced by the sleeve 37. The

portion of the strand 8 which is held by the feed clamp 22 extends alongthe face of the knife at an angle to the cutting edge of the knife andsince this portion cannot pass the knife 75, it will be apparent thatthe annular portion of the strand which is being moved by the sleeve 37,will be sheared from the held portion of the strand so as to leave angularly disposed ends on both portions of the strand. It will be notedthat in the present case the knife is secured on the stationary plate 33(Fig. and the body of the knife, therefore, forms a part of the camsurfaces 32,34, and 36 (Fig. 10).

Since the sleeve 37 must move'longitudinally of the mandrel to press thestrand onto the cap 14, the clamping fingers 41 of the lever 40 arearranged to slide radially through the plate 44, into an out-ofthe-wayposition shown in Fig. 4, and in such movement the lever 40 is guided apin 45 projecting rawithdrawing movement of the lever 40 is obtained bypivotal movement of the lever.42 upon which the lever 40 is mounted,against the action of a spring 48 which normally tends to move the lever42 so as to project 5 the fingers 41 outwardly of the mandrel to V theclamp 24 radially into the mandrel. This is accomplished by a cam 76formed on the cross head 47 and arranged to engage a cam roller 77 onthe adjacent end of the lever 42 to move the lever against the force ofthe spring 48 to the position shown in Fig. 4. Thus, the path of thesleeve 37 is cleared and its movement is continued until the annulus ispressed within the flange '14 of the cap 14.

It will be noted that the advancing movement of the plunger 11 pressesthe cap 14 positively toward the yielding mandrel 23 until the flange 14of the cap is positionedwithin and is laterally supported. by the sides25 of an annular recess 78 formed in the outer end of the collar 6O(Figs. 3 and 4), and while it is thus held the annulus is compressed torectangular cross sectional form between the cap 14, its flange 14, themandrel 23 and the end of the sleeve 87. It will be seen that th annularrecess 78 provides an annular space in which the flange 14 may be placedwith its inner surface alined with the inner surface of the collar 60and the compressing action of the sleeve 37 widens the strand 8 to fillthe space between the flange 14 and the mandrel 23. Such compressionserves effectively to join the adjacent, angularly cut ends of thestrands, and a continuous annular gasket is thereby formed.

To remove the cap 14 from the recess 78 upon completion of the attachingoperation. a pair of U-shaped rods 79 are mounted in the transverse wall43 (Figs. 3, 4. and 6), with their cross members disposed on oppositesides of the axis of the mandrel 23 and adj acent the clamp 24. One sidemember 80 of each rod 79 extends longitudinally through the mandrel 23and out of the other end thereof (Fig. 3), and both are guided in ears81 on the collar 54. Extending from the collar is a bracket 82 betweenwhich and the rods 79 a pair of springs 83 are arranged to act to pressthe rods toward the cap 14 positioned at the other end of the mandrel.

Thus, when the plunger 11 is withdrawn, the rods 79 push the cap 14 awayfrom the mandrel 23 and into the indexing holder 12 so that the finishedcap will be moved out of the machine as a new cap is moved intoposition.

In the withdrawing movement of the sleeve 37, the mandrel resumes itsnormal position shown in Figs. 3 and 6, and the fingers 41 65 of theclamp 24 are projected through the mandrel so as to be ready for thenext clamping operation.

The indexing cap holder The indexing holder 12 is best shownin Figs. 1,2, and 9 and comprises a disk of substantial thickness mounted on theoverhanging. end of a shaft 85 mounted in the bracket 86 (Fig.1) beneaththe forming device 10 and extending through the standard 19 of theframe. At equally spaced points about its periphery, the disk 12 has aplurality of segmental pockets 87 formed therein opening outwardly ofthe disk and of suflicient width to permit a cap 14 to enter edgewisethereinto.

The. disk 12 is moved intermittently to position the pockets 87successively between the mandrel 23 and the plunger 11, the uppermostpocket on the disk being the one which is positioned adjacent themandrel. As shown in Fig. 9, the disk 12 is moved in'a counter-clockwisedirection, and the caps 14 are fed to the-pockets 87 of the disk throughan inclined chute 88 which discharges a vertically positioned cap 14into each pocket just before it reaches the uppermost position. It willbe seen that the open lower end of the chute 88 is located opposite aposition in which the pockets 87 are'stopped in the intermittentmovement of the disk, so that ampleopportunity is provided for the lowercap 14 to move into the pocket.

' After a gasket has been applied to the cap 14 opposite the mandrel,that cap is moved by the holder 12 toward the left side of the machine(Fig. 9) and is dropped from' its pocket 87. I

The plunger 11 and its mounting The reciprocating plunger 11 is mountedon one end of a shaft 90 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is slidable through astandard 91 of the frame and is actuated by a lever 92 pivoted at oneend to the other end of the shaft 90. Intermediate its ends, the lever92 is pivoted on an adjustable support 93 carried by the standard 91,while at its other end it carries a roller 94 engaging a grooved cam 95mounted on the end of a constantly rotating shaft 96. By adjusting thesupport 93, the stroke of the plunger 11 may be adjusted to bring thecap 14 accurately to the desired position.

If desired, the plunger 11, as well as the chute 88 may be heated bysuitable electric heaters 99 and 100 and the strand 15 may be drawn fromthe forming machine 6 through an electrically heated guideway 101 (Figs.2 and 9) so as to render the strand more easily workable and insure firmadherence of the gasket to the caps.

The driving mechanism All of the parts of the machine are preferablydriven in timed relation to each other from a single power source (not.shown) arranged to rotate a horizontal shaft 105 which is mounted in thestandard and extends through the standard 19. On its end adj a- 3 centthe standard 19, the shaft 105 carries a gear 107 which, through anidler 108, (Figs. 1, 7, and 8) drives a gear 109 fixed on the, shaft 68.

The shaft 68 is rotated once for each gasket forming operation anddrives the shaft 96 at the indexing work holder 12, through the mediumof a Geneva movement, having a disk 112 fixed to the shaft 68, with apin113 (Fig.

9) adapted to'engage radialslots 114 in a- Geneva wheel 115 which isfixed on the shaft" 85 of the work holder. The number of slots 114 inthe Geneva wheel 115 corresponds to the number of cap-receiving pockets87 so that each rotation of the shaft 68 moves a new pocket 87 intoposition opposite the mandrel The desired intermittent rotary movementof the feed disk 17 and the mandrel 23 is preferably obtained from theshaft 85 upon which the indexing holder 12 is mounted. To this end theshaft 85 is extended through the standard 20 and carries a gear 117(Figs. 1 and 7) which through an idler 118 drives a gear 119 on theshaft 53. The idler 118 is preferably made wide enough to permitlongitudinal movement of the shaft 53 in the gasket applying operation.

The gears 117, 118, and 119 are proportioned to impart one completerevolution to the mandrel 23 during each advancing movement of the workholder 12, and it will be seen that this rotation of the mandrel takesplace while the movement of work holder is taking place. 7

The feed disk 17 is oppositely rotated in timed relation to and at thesame speed as the shaft 53 by meshing gears 120 and 121 fixedrespectively on the two shafts, and the gear 121 is made of suflicientthickness to maintain the two gears in mesh during longitudinal movementof the shaft 53.

Operation A strand 8 of pre-formed gasket material,

preferably of round cross section, is fed from periphery of theoppositely rotating mandrel The. normal sto-pped position of the feeddisk 17'is such that the end of the strand'S is adjacent to the mandrel23 as shown in Fig. 6, while thefingers 41 of the clamp 24 projectthrough the. mandrel adjacent to the end of the strand. When oppositerotation of the feed disk: 17 and the mandrel is started, the clamp 22moves; across the adjacent periphery of themandrel, and due to outwardradial movement of the clamp 22 by the springs 27,

the end-0f the strand is held close to the mandrel 23 for an appreciabledistance. During such movement of the strand 8, its end is automaticallysecuredto the mandrel 23 by the finger 41 of the clamp 24 which pressesthe strand against the adjacent end. of the sleeve 37.

It will be recalled that the clamp 24 is nor mally. projected throughthe" mandrel 23 by the spring 48, andis held in its unclamped positionby the spring 46, and. its automatic clamping movement is obtainedthrough the action of acam 60 upon the plunger 55 which releases thetrigger 51' (Fig; 3) and permits the spring pressedrod 49 to strike andactuate the lever .40. i

After the clamp 24 has been closed, the cut away section36' of the-camsurface 32 permits the clamp 22 to be opened so as to release the strandfromthe feed disk 17 and permit it to be drawnby'the, clamp 24 into acircle in the space between the mandrel 23, the collar 60 andthe. sleeve37. r I

J ustprior'to.v the completion of a full revolution by the mandrel 23,the clamp 22, which is then open, is actuated by movement across the camsurfaces 34, 32, so as to clamp the strand .8 to the-feed disk 17 whichholds the strand 8 while it is severed from the annulus formed about themandrel.

The strand Sis severed by advancing move member in cooperation with theknife 75 to cut the strand at an angleclose to the clamp 22 which isthen stationary. j r

As the sleeve 37 advances," (to the left in Fig. 6) the clamp 24 isopened by withdrawal of its-actuating rod 49, to a position wherein itis held by the trigger 51, this being accomplished by the lever 62(Fig.1) operated from the lever 65 which reciprocates the sleeve 37.Atsubstanti'ally the same time, the projecting fingers 41 0f theclamp 24are drawn radially inwardly of the mandrel by theaction of'the cam 76which moves with the sleeve 37 and acts to rock the lever 42,

upon which the clamp 24 is mounted;

During such advancingmovement of the sleeve 37, the mandrel'23 moveslongitudi nally'with the sleeve byreason of the springs 72 (Fig. 5) .andapproachesthecap 14 which is then being advanced toward the mandrel bymovement of. the "plunger 11; While the cap-141s being positioned by thecooperative action of the. plunger 11 and the mandrel 23 and the recess78, the advancing movement of the sleeve 37 continues, and after thepositioning of the cap is completed the annular strand is compressedonto the capinto rectangular cross sectional form with united ends, asshown in Fig. 4. p

The withdrawing movement of the plunger 11 and the sleeve 37' then takesplace, and the finished cap is moved back into the pocket 87 of theindexing holder 12 by the action of thespring pressed rods 79, thesprings 83 of which have been compressedduring the gas-- ket applyingoperation.

As the sleeve 37 is withdrawn, thesprings 7 2 move the mandrel 23-to theleft relatively to the sleeve, so that the end of the'mandrel projectsfrom the sleeve as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. This relative movementwithdraws the cam 76 and permits the spring 48 to project the clampingfingers 41 outwardly through the mandrel.

The mechanism is then conditioned for another rotative movement to formanother annulus fromthe strand 8,. and such movement occursautomatically due to the driving connection between indexing holder 12and the strand feeding and circle forming devices.

During such rotative movement of the mandrel to form another annulus,the work holder 12 moves the finished cap 14 out of the machine andadvances another cap from the chute 88 to a position between the mandreland the plunger 11, so that the annulus may be pressed thereon in thenext reciprocation ofthe sleeve 37.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the invention provides animproved gasket capable of accurate formation at high production speeds.

It will also be clear that the invention provides an advantageous methodof forming and applying gaskets to jar caps whereby a uniformity of theproduct is insured. It willalso be seen that the method is adapted forperformance at high speeds. I

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of forming and applying plastic gaskets to jar caps whichconsists in forming a strand of raw rubber composition material formingthe end of the strand into va circle, severing the circularly formedportion of the strand from the remainder thereof, holding the end of theremainder of the rubber compositionjmaterial, and. forming said strandinto a succession of circles severed from each other and each havingopposed ends, and uniting the ends of each circle while maintaining thematerial in a heated condition. 7

3. The method of forming and applying plastic gaskets to jar-caps whichconsists in compressing a circularly arranged strand of gasket materialof round cross-section and with opposed ends onto a cap to form a asketof rectangular cross-section with the ad acent ends of the strandjoined. v

4. The method of forming and applying plastic gasketsto jar caps whichconsists in drawing the end of a strand of raw rubber compositionmaterial through an annular channel recess to form a circle from saidstrand confined by said recess, severing the circularly formed portionof the strand from the remainder of the strand, placing a jar cap inclosing relation to said recess, and moving said circularly arrangedstrand through are-' cess to compress the strand onto the cap to form acontinuous annular gasket.

In'testimony whereof, I have hereunto af fixed my signature.

MERRITT G. PARKS.

